Apparel industry going towards green revolution

The number of environment-frien dly, “green” RMG factories is on the rise in Bangladesh, revolutionising the country’s apparel industry and slowly uplifting its downward reputation in the world. Since 2011, a total of 67 Bangladeshi RMG factories have received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC), one of the top green building rating systems in the world, according to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association BGMEA) data. Of the 67 factories, 13 have been rated platinum, 20 gold and five silver.

At least 222 more factories have been registered with the USGBC for the LEED certification. Industry insiders say the number of green factories are increasing as global retailers are looking for eco-friendly apparel manufacturers since consumers around the world are growing concerned about how the production of their clothes affect the environment. This is improving the global images of Bangladeshi RMG industry which has taken several hits in recent years due to a lack of workers safety in factories, which has led to fatal incidents.